Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Big Bang's Biggest Bang: TOP's Solo Kpop Career
1) This isn't a love song. This is a rap song, straight up. There's no singing. TOP starts off by telling everyone that he's the original pimp, though it's hard to imagine him doing any pimping, but we'll let him borrow that rap convention anyways. On that note, this song tends to borrow a lot from North American rap songs. Top let's us know why he's awesome by rapping about money, hoes, and clothes. Notorious B.I.G. was a big influence on him in his younger days, and it clearly shows in this song.
2) Top isn't going to be cute. Big Bang has always been a girl's group, but now Top is trying to appeal to women rather than high-schoolers. He's not trying to be cute, but sexy. Forget the colorful costumes and oversized sunglasses of his "Lollipop" days. This video is entirely in black and white. Top is going to rely on his charm and rap skills, rather than flash and pretty colors, to win you over.
3) This isn't comparable to G-Dragon. "Heartbreaker" and "Turn it Up" both are G-Dragon's and Top's solo hits, respectively, and they both take a different approach. "Heartbreaker" became quite famous for its almost blatant use of Flo Rida's "Right Round" techniques. "Turn it Up" isn't clearly infringing on anyone else's intellectual property. As well, G-Dragon tried to seem angry and full of attitude in his song perhaps a bit too blatantly. Top doesn't try to pull of the angry feel. It doesn't suit him. Instead, he sticks to being suave and cocky, without being smug, and does so with great subtlety.
Altogether, Top's song "Turn it Up" is a clear break not only from Big Bang's other songs, but also a clear break from the band's members as well. If Top didn't stick out like a sore thumb beforehand, he definitely does so now, and good for him. He's making a name for himself, and doing so in a very unique way.
credits to : http://authorpalace.com/recretion-and-leisure/entertainment/big-bang-s-biggest-bang-top-s-solo-kpop-career.html
Korean Pop, with Online Help, Goes Global
As a child, Dong Young-bae used to hide from his parents to dance to cassettes of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. He says he was too shy to tell anyone he wanted to become a famous singer and dancer. Not anymore. Today the 22-year-old South Korean singer and dancer known as Taeyang is in the spotlight as an international pop star. Thanks in no small part to a long-standing trend in Asia that renders all things Korean cool, Taeyang is going global, riding the so-called Korean wave all the way out West.
Taeyang, who is better known in South Korea as the voice of the Korean boy band Big Bang, released his first solo album, Solar, online last month. It hit No. 2 on iTunes' R&B sales charts in the U.S. and No. 1 in Canada — a first for an Asian artist. "In the beginning, it was hard to believe I had fans buying my album so far away," says Taeyang, whose name means "sun" in Korean. He says he didn't do any promotion in North America for the album, which was recorded in Korean and targeted fans in South Korea and Japan. "The world is smaller now."(See TIME's special report "The Best of Asia 2010.")
For many artists in Korea's booming music industry, social media like YouTube and Twitter have become crucial tools to reach audiences in formerly hard-to-access markets like the U.S. and Europe. Korean artists are bypassing traditional outlets like radio and television, "aggressively steering their efforts to go international via the Internet," says Bernie Cho, president of DFSB Kollective, a Seoul-based agency specializing in the international marketing of Korean pop acts. "Social-media-savvy K-pop stars are now tweeting, YouTubing and Facebooking their way up music charts across and beyond Asia."(Watch TIME's video "TIME 100 Poll: Moot vs. Rain.")
It's working: allkpop.com, an English-language, U.S.-based Korean pop blog that caters to international fans, generates more Web traffic than any Korean music portals in South Korea. "Korean artists are now out there," says Johnny Noh, who runs the site. "People like [Korean artists] and want to know more about them." The blog's monthly readers more than doubled in the past year, from 1 million in 2009 to 2.2 million today.(See 10 things to do in Seoul.)
DFSB Kollective was the first company to begin direct distribution of Korean music acts on iTunes, in 2009. It began with more than 50 Korean artists in the alternative, hip-hop and electronica genres; now there are hundreds of Korean artists available in the online music store. Within a few hours of the Aug. 25 iTunes release of Solar International, an extended version of Taeyang's album that includes English versions of his singles, the album reached No. 3 in Japan, No. 5 in Canada, No. 11 in the U.S. and No. 15 in Australia on the R&B/Soul album chart. It will hit on-the-ground music stores in the U.S. and Canada later, while no release date has been set for Asian markets. It's the first time a South Korean album has been promoted offshore and online exclusively through social-media groups, according to YG Entertainment, Taeyang's Korean R&B and hip-hop label.
People in the Korean music industry are watching and learning. YG Entertainment plans to release the first album of girl group 2NE1 offshore and online. The group became famous after releasing the single "Lollipop," with Big Bang, which was featured in an LG cell-phone ad campaign last year. Since then, 2NE1's international exposure — particularly in the U.S. — has been growing. Black Eyed Peas producer will.i.am saw one of their videos and immediately wanted to work with them, says Choi Sung-jun, chief operations officer at YG Entertainment. They have been collaborating for the past couple of months in Los Angeles and London.(See TIME's 2006 profile on Korean pop star Rain.)
K-pop's online buzz has become a way for artists to make a name for themselves at home. Kim Yeo-hee, 22, became a YouTube star in March when she posted three videos under the name Apple Girl. In her first video, Kim played music with the applications of four Apple iPhones and sang Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable." Two days later, her name became the most searched word in all major Korean search engines. In May, Kim released her debut digital mini-album. She is now preparing a single for release in September. Kim, who went from making music on iPhones to selling her own music on iTunes in less than six months, says, "I wanted to become the Korean version of Justin Bieber. But I never imagined so many people could be interested in what I do."
Of course, once your face becomes known overseas, you still have to control your image. On a recent day this month, Taeyang was working nonstop at the YG studio in Seoul to get ready for his upcoming concert that might be streamed live on YouTube. The young celebrity massaged his shoulder, yawned and, with bags under his eyes, looked through the photos that will appear on his new album. He frowned at an image of himself in which his well-groomed goatee had been Photoshopped out. "Call the printer and tell them to change the picture," he told the designer. He gestured to the photo of his digitally clean-shaven face. "I want to look a bit tough," he said. "In the U.S., like this, they'll think I'm too nice."
credits to : http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2013227,00.html
K-Pop's Definition and History
K-pop is an abbreviation for Korean popular music, specifically South Korean (there is practically no popular music industry in North Korea). Many of the Korean pop stars and pop groups are well known in East Asia and other parts of Asia. K-pop often emulates American pop music, and usually features young, sexy performers.
History of K-pop (kpop)
The emergence of the group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992 marked a turning point for Korean popular music, as the group incorporated elements of American popular musical genres of rap, rock, and techno into its music. The tremendous success of Seo Taiji and Boys in Korea and such similarly experimental groups as Panic set the trend for the present generation of K-pop groups and artists.
Following Seo Taiji and Boys, dance-oriented acts were dominant in the Korean popular music scene of the 1990s. Recently, rock music has made some headway into the mainstream, with acts like Yoon Do-hyun Band gaining national recognition.
Popular artists who diverge from the traditional K-pop sound include Lee Jung Hyun, a female techno artist and equivalent of America's Moby; 1TYM, a four-member rap troupe; and Wax (Korean band), a female alternative rock group. South Korea is also home to a few hardcore "gangsta'" rappers, including Jinusean, Drunken Tiger, and PSY, whose flippant and humorous sound is similar to Eminem's.
Trot is a less popular genre of K-pop, which was influenced by Japanese songs during the occupation and popular until Japan's defeat in WWII. Following WWII western-style new music became the mainstream of K-pop.
Be sure to check out our featured Korean celebrities for information on the best kpop's artists.
credits to : http://www.asiafinest.com/review/kpop.htm
The Korean pop invasion
MANILA, Philippines - It seems anything Korean or commonly known as the hallyu wave is in these days. From soap operas, restaurants to beauty products, Korean culture has won the Filipinos’ hearts. Who could forget Koreanovelaslike the Endless Love series, Lovers in Paris, Full House andStairway to Heaven?Not to be outdone is the Korean music, better known as Kpop. Thanks to YouTube, Korean cable TV and music download, Filipinos are exposed to Korea’s finest singers and groups. As a Kpop follower, I came up with a list of eight Kpop singers and groups many Filipinos are familiar with and will hear from in the future.
BoA — One of South Korea’s top female singers. She has topped the charts in Korea, Japan and released an album in the US. She collaborated with western artists such as Westlife and Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys and was cited as an Influential Artist in the 2004 MTV Asia Awards.
2NE1 — With Sandara Park (known as the Pambansang Krung-Krung) as one of its members, the group is fast becoming popular in the country thanks to songs such as Lollipop, Fire and I Don’t Care. Sandara, now known as Dara, released the song Kis featuring Lee Min Ho (Gu Jun Pyo of Boys Over Flowers) to promote Korean beer brand Cass.
Rain — Known to Filipino audience as Justin of the hit romantic-comedy Full House, Rain is Korea’s latest export in the international entertainment industry. He was cited byTime Magazine as one of the 100 “Most Influential People Who Shape the World Award” and People Magazine named him one of the Most Beautiful People in its “First-Time Beauties 2007” section. Aside from being a singer-actor, Rain heads his own company J. Tune Entertainment and dabbles in fashion with his clothing line Six to Five. He broke into Hollywood via Speed Racer and will be seen in the movie Ninja Assassin, produced by the Wachowski brothers, the duo behind The Matrix trilogy.
Wonder Girls — Filipinos by now could not stop singing the group’s hit song Nobody. With its catchy tune and ’60s theme music video, the Wonder Girls composed of Yubin, Yenny, Sohee, Sunye and Sunmi have invaded the US where they are now touring with the Jonas Brothers. Their song, Nobody, debuted in theBillboard charts last October, making them the first Korean group to do so.
SS501 —The group composed of Hyun Joong, Young Saeng, Jung Min, Kyu Joong and Hyung Jun debuted in 2005 with the song Warning and Snow Prince. They also invaded the Japanese music industry and even recorded a TV show SS501: The Mission. The group’s popularity further rose due to the show Boys Over Flowers which was aired all over Asia. In the show, Hyun Joong played the quiet, musically-inclined Yoon Ji-Hoo while three of the members performed the songs Because I am Stupid and Making A Lover,included in the Boys Over Flowers soundtrack. After a year and seven months hiatus, the group released the mini album Rebirth, and is currently touring Asia for their Persona Tour. Their single A Song Calling for You (LaLaLa) is in the Top 20 of MYX’s international charts.
Super Junior —They are considered the largest boyband with 13 members. They are one of the many Korean groups to go beyond singing and dancing with many of its members involved in acting and other activities such as anime voice recording. Although they have three albums, it was their third album Sorry, Sorry that brought them commercial success.
Shinee — Known as one of Korea’s R&B boybands, Shinee debuted in 2008 with mini-album Replay. The group has won many awards including the Best Newcomer at the 18th Seoul Music Awards and participated in various concerts including the Dream Concert in the Seoul Olympic Stadium alongside other groups such as Girl Generation, Wonder Girls and Super Junior last year. They also released the album The Shinee World and recorded songs like Stand By Me, included in the Boys Over Flowers soundtrack and Bodyguard,used for the promotion of Samsung’s Anycall mobile phone featuring Kim Bum and Kim So Eun. The group is also known for its fashion sense dubbed as the “Shinee trend,” which led to endorsements for Reebok and Korean Cosmetic Company Nana B. Filipino fans will get the chance to see the group when they perform in Manila this month at the Korean Culture Festival.
Girls Generation — Composed of nine female members, fans often refer them as SNSD which is short for the group’s Korean name So Nyeo Shi Dae or So Nyuh Shi Dae. Like other groups, the members of Girls Generation are trained in various aspects of the performing arts. Their second mini-album Tell Me Your Wish (Genie) was recently released with the song of the same name as its carrier single. The group also has its own TV series and endorses various products in Korea.
With the continued craving for anything Korean, Filipinos will continue to hear and see more Kpop artists in the coming years.
K-pop boy band SS501 may visit Manila in July
Another K-pop idol group may visit the Philippines soon.
Fangirlasia is currently negotiating to bring K-pop boy band SS501 to the Philippines for a fan meeting in July.
Triple S Philippines, the local fan club of SS501, has started accepting reservations from members for VIP seats that would cost P5,000 each.
Fangirlasia has also opened an event page on Facebook to know how many fans will be attending the event.
“We would like to remind everyone that this event is just a survey. We are still under negotiation. Date, time, and venue are tentative,” it said.
Since boy band SHINee visited the country in November last year, other K-pop groups followed suit.
This year, bands that have already held shows in the country are 4Minute, FT Island, U-Kiss and Super Junior.
Fangirlasia and Spin Manila brought boy band FT Island to the Philippines last March for the Manila 2010 Showcase held at the Philippine International Convention Center.
SS501 is a five-member boy band managed by DSP Entertainment that was launched in 2005. It is composed of leader Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Kyu Jong, Heo Young Saeng, Park Jung Min and Kim Hyung Joon.
Last year, SS501 held their first Asia Tour Persona that kicked off in Seoul and visited Tokyo, Taipei, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
Kim Hyun Joong, in particular, starred in the last year’s hit Korean drama series “Boys over Flowers,” which also became a top-rated program in the Philippines.
Last year, SS501 received the Bonsang and Hallyu awards in the Seoul Music Awards. The group also won the Best OST (official soundtrack) Award in the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) for “Because I’m Stupid,” which was used in “Boys over Flowers.” It also won the Top Buzz International Group in the Yahoo Buzz Award.
SS501 will be coming back to the K-pop music scene with a new album in May.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)